Die Another Day
by Taijiya-Sango-Chan
Summary: Ever hear of the Aztecs and Cortes?..well this is a more detailed version as to the chapter in 'The History of US'..'bout a young soldier trying to overcome the impossible


Well! This is my first story ever! It's a historical fiction that im quite fond of, it started out as a 300 word history report, but I just decided to take it a little further..just a little………….Anyway yes..it's a whatchamacallit…umm one of those stories that you are in the mind of someone and are a main character looking at everything else..yes..gnisufnoc..Anyway to the story!

Nonchalantly I walked down the familiar stone stairs, deep in thought on the conversation that had just taken place.

Flashback-

I sopped at the entrance hesitating to enter through the curtain. 'What is it that father wanted? Has something happened? Father has never called me to him during the day…' I soon noticed that people were staring at me. I cleared my throat and slowly walked in. Fear filled me as I saw my father's serious face, but I was even more eager to find out why he had called upon me.

"Do not be alarmed my son." He said in an almost humorous tone. I sighed in relief at his statement, but then became furious as I saw a smile beckon its way onto his limber features. "Tlotzin, this is no time to joke. You had me quite fearful." I said in an angrier tone than I had wished for. "I suppose not," he said, "but I'm just so proud to have a warrior for a son." I sighed once more. "I'm still in training, and forgive my rudeness, but didn't you call me here for something?" "Yes, yes I did. Now, why don't you take a seat and I'll explain.

I decided to take him up on his offer, and sat on one of the stone-made seats. He sat down on the seat across from me. "I'm supposing that you've heard that Quetzalcoatl has returned so I'll ju…" "Yes I've heard that he has but I though they were just rumors." I said as I bit my lip. "Forgive me, I should know not to speak out of turn." "Yes, well, it is said that he has returned with many so- called ships that appear as bird's wings, gracefully flying across the wind swept ocean, But I'll just get to the point."

"Now," he said, grinning again, "since our father Quetzalcoatl has returned, Lord Moctezuma wants to send gift bearers, and he specifically asked for you." "Wow! He asked for me!" I asked, astonished at what he had said. "Well, maybe with a little bit of persuasion." I laughed at his statement and he soon followed. Wiping a tear from my eye, I asked, "How did you ever manage to bribe him into choosing me?" "We go way back, back even before he became ruler, although," he gave another chuckle. "It does help to be his advisor."

"Well, I suppose I better get back to my duties," he said as he got up, "and I think you better go down to the main temple and get supplies." "Yes, I should leave as soon as possible…How long do you think it will take the journey?" I asked. "Hnnnn…probably no longer than one rise of the moon and sun." He stated. "Right then, I better go." I said as I got up to leave. As I bowed slightly and walked towards the exit, he cleared his throat, and I turned back to face him. Leaning against the door frame, I asked, "Yes?" He walked over to me and set his hand on my shoulder and said, "Good luck on you journey and may your god and Lady Tonantzin protect you on your way." With that he slipped by me and started walking in the opposite direction I was. Suddenly he turned and called back, "Oh, and take Tiegan with you."

–End flashback-

Coming back to reality, I noticed that I had passed the entrance. Slightly embarrassed, I turned back and entered to find her already standing there waiting for me. She smiled and tossed a bag into my arms, and then she grabbed my hand and dragged me down the corridors. Once we got to the temple I asked, "What's the rush?" She answered slightly out of breath, "Well, the sooner we leave, the sooner we'll be able to meet the priest-ruler Quetzalcoatl!" She smiled eagerly as she gathered all the gifts and supplies. She then tied a vast box to my back and handed me another sack.

We were walking towards the boating dock when I realized, "Hey! Why am I the one carrying all this!" She turned to face me, a small smile on her features, "well, you are the big strong warrior, aren't you?" I looked down at the street's stony floor, hating it when she teased me. I sighed as I tossed the sacks over my shoulder. "Come, if we are to meet Quetzalcoatl before mid-day tomorrow we better move faster." She put her had up in solute and said, "Yes Sir!" I sighed yet again, thinking, 'sisters..'

We remained quiet until we reached the other side of the lake; she was the first to break the silence, "Hey, Zolton? What do you think Quetzalcoatl is like?" She said in a questioning tone. "Well…." I said, "As you and I know, He is the god of our civilization and learning, and legend has it that he and his twin brother, Xolotl, descended to hell and retrieved human bones. By dripping his blood on to the bones, it is said human resurrection began; and men, therefore, are the children of Quetzalcoatl. But that is only a legend."

I hopped out of the boat and waded it to shore, where I took her hand and helped her to land. We continued on our way, and once again she broke the silence, "I know of what he has done," she said, "but what does he look like? And what is said on his personality? Is he cruel? Is he kind-hearted?.." "I do not know his personality, but I must think that because of his high stature, he is very knowledgeable and very powerful. As far as what he looks like, he is a giant feathered serpent who wears many jewels, but when he resides on earth he is in the appearance of a mere mortal," I stated as we continues to walk on the rocky path. "I see," is all she said.

We continued to walk in silence until the moon, Coyolxauhqui, and the stars, Centzonhuitznahuac, won the day's battle with Huitzilapochtli, the war and sun god, and the god to which I worship. This time I was first to break the silence. "We should set up camp. That way we'll get a few more moments rest before we trek on." With that I walked over to a cleared area beneath a tree, setting the sacks down. "Would you mind helping me with this?" I indicated the precious cargo I was carrying and she ran over and untied the straps. I carefully set it down and started rummaging through one of the sacks.  
I took out two bread slices, and sat down next to my sister, who was now starting a fire. I handed one slice to her and told her,"After you finish, you should get some rest. We'll be leaving at sun-up, if not sooner." I then got up and retreated to the nearest boulder, sitting down against it, and falling into the sweet obis known as sleep before I could even start eating my meal.

I woke up to see a pair of honey-brown colored eyes staring into my own. I jumped back in shock, and Tiegan giggled. Once I regained my dignity I noticed that the sun was fully up, which made me glad to see that Huitzilopochtli had won over the night, but also angered me to know that my sister had not waked me. I yelled, "Tiegan! Why had you not waken me at sun-up!" "I just thought you looked tired and needed rest, so I let you sleep longer." she stated. 'Curse my always caring sister.' I thought to myself. "It does not matter what I need! We should have been a village away from Quetzalcoatl by now!" I said as I got up and fetch a new change of clothing. "I must go and wash up; I will take no longer than five cloud passing." With that I left to the stream.  
Once there I sat down next to the clear water, looking at my own reflection. Boy was I dirty, I had dirt smudges all over my face and my hair was a tangled. I cupped my hands and dipped them into the water, and then scrubbing my face with a damp cloth. The water was cooler than normal, "Must be further south than I thought" I said to no one in particular. Getting up I untangled my hair as best I could with my fingers, then quickly got dressed. "Suppose I better head back." I said to myself.  
True to my word, I returned no later than what I said. "Come," I ordered as I stuffed my old clothing into one of the sacks and quickly tied the box around my waist and shoulders, "We must go non-stop from here on if we are to meet the deadline." As soon as we were all packed, we started sprinting in the direction of the village in which our god awaited.

It was not until fifty paces from the village that we met a man covered in sweat and blood. It was then that I noticed a fowl rotting stench coming from all around us, and complete silence in the village, with no one about. I ran up to the man in time to catch him as he collapsed. I asked, "What happened?" He could barely speak but managed to say, "The g-god!...He is not.." He burst into a coughing fit, "as he seems..." and then I could feel him go limp in my arms. I carried him to the nearest tree, and set him under it. I placed my hand over his eyes and shut them, praying to the gods that he would make a safe journey. "What did he mean by 'The god is not as he seems'?" my sister asked. "I…Don't know," Is all that I said

We decided to walk in silence for the rest of the journey, until it was mid-day, and we finally reached the village. It was on fire, but no one was running. If fact, there were no people to be seen, besides a large group of pale-skinned creatures talking to one another. We walked up to them and they pointed to a high stature man who was looking at us awkwardly. It was then that we knelt before him. I gazed up and looked past him to see many of the man-horses, centaurs I believed. I offered the gift to him with trembling hands and my gaze then fell back down to the ground. He took it from my hands and greedily opened it. I asked, "Great Lord Quetzalcoatl, I wish to know why you have come so far inland." He spoke words I could not understand. A woman walked over to me and translated for him and she said, "He wishes to go to the great city Tenochtitlan, and retrieve all its treasures." He said something else and she translated once more. "You will bring more of this gold if you do not wish to bring war upon Tenochtitlan." I retaliated back, "Lord Quetzalcoatl is not a god who approves war. He would not harm any living creature!"

After what I said he frowned and drew his sword. Before Tiegan or I could move, one of the man-horsed seized her and took her to the man. He grabbed her by the hair, and before I could do anything he slit her throat without reason, and she fell to the ground, motionless as a dark liquid flooded the ground around her. MY brain froze, I couldn't think of a thing to do besides run.

I heard laughter as I sped out of the village. I now knew what the man from earlier had meant. This was a warning, and if I didn't get back fast enough, there would be no time for planning.

I had to stop, out of breath. I had been running on the path for most of the

day and part of the night, but I needed to rest and think now. I slumped down, to tired to even try to get into a comfortable position. I laid back and looked my hands over. "Why wasn't it me he had taken? Why did it have to be Tiegan, she was innocent. She could do no wrong. Why!" I yelled at the sky above me. I rolled over and tried to get some rest.  
Sun-up came too early for my liking. I hadn't even fallen asleep, I couldn't. It was to painful knowing that when I woke up there would be no one beside me. I sat up and starred into the sky, it had still not given me my answer.

After much thought, I rose to my feet. And took off to the city once more. If my judgment was right, I was only a quarter of the day away.  
It took my no time to get there, as I was thinking and not really paying head to anything else but running.

I rushed into the king's throne room and told him and my father about the man, my sister, and the imposter…..

"We must take action!" I said, as I slammed my fist on the wall. "We first need to find what the imposter wants" said King Moctezuma. "I'll tell you what he wants! He wants our land, and our riches!" I spat back. He raised his hand in dismissal, but before I exited I turned back and said, "You will pay dearly for your mis-thought of the war upon us." With that I exited.

I walked down the main hall later that night, eager to know why the king called us, but I thought I already had an idea why he did. When I entered the gathering area, I saw that the person talking was not the king; in fact, I was his replacement, Cuauhtemoc. He said that the king was taken hostage.

After the meeting I went straight to the king's sleeping quarters, for it was me who was supposed to guard his replacement that night. I had trouble staying awake thought, since I have not seen an ounce of sleep since my sister was murdered. 'I must not shut my eyes even for a second.' I thought to myself. 'For if I do, something will happen and it'll be blamed on me.

I stood there for what seemed like days, but was only the nightly cycle. When I looked up at the sun's blood-red rays entering the dim stone fortress, I knew someone had been killed, and I knew a battle would take place.

As I predicted, we are heading to war. I was in the lead. I was to bring the first wall of men down, but I was also to fall back and let people by so that I could get around to the back of the enemies troops.

I did as told and charged like the rest of our men towards the wall of pale-skins and centaurs. Immediately I felt a shocking pain coarse through my body as I look to the side and saw that one of the men had snuck by our men and had wounded me. I quickly retaliated and swung my sword down unto his skull. I turned as soon as I had done that; already know I had made contact and that the person was dead.

After fighting even more pale-skinned men I did as I was told to do at the beginning. But now I noticed, 'we are outnumbered, and we are near no one left' I said mentally. I looked around and spotted another one of the enemies' men not far from me. I dashed towards him and once again brought my sword down upon him. But before I managed to pull of my duty he sliced my arm open, and then went down, lifeless. I held my arm in agony as I looked around me and saw that we had lost, Cuauhtemoc had surrendered.  
I started walking towards the now ruined remains of our once beautiful city, dropping my blade in the process, realizing that I had no use for it. I held my side tight as I was in a deadly pain now as I walked. I knew I didn't have much strength left, but that didn't stop me from climbing the stairs into the main temple. I knelt in front of a fallen statue of Huitzilopochti, bowing my head, "I'm sorry.." I said before I collapsed onto the ground. I was exhausted from the absence of sleep and little food. I could not move or see well, but the last thing I saw before shutting my eyes was Mictlantecuhtle and his wife, Michlantecihuatl, appearing from the dark shadowed corners of the temple to come take me to Mictlan, realm for all warriors who have passed on whilst in battle. That's when I finally shut my eyes and let the eternal sleep over come me.

End

Now push the pretty button and tell me how Great/horrible I was! ''


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